Women’s soccer to take on Clemson in NCAA Tournament

Alabama womens soccer celebrates after scoring a goal.

Courtesy of UA Athletics

Alabama women’s soccer celebrates after scoring a goal.

Austin Hannon, Staff Reporter

For the first time since 2017, the Alabama women’s soccer team (10-9-1) will take part in the NCAA Tournament after receiving one of the final at-large bids.

It’s the fourth time in program history that the Crimson Tide has made the 64-team field.

Their first opponent will be none other than the Clemson Tigers (12-6-1), who knocked Alabama out of the tournament four years ago. Like the Crimson Tide, Clemson also narrowly made the cut. The Tigers are playing in the NCAA Tournament for the eighth consecutive season and the 22nd time in the last 28 years.

Clemson reached the Elite Eight last season but were defeated 1-0 by eventual champion Santa Clara.

The Tigers are coached by Eddie Radwanski, who is in his 10th year. Radwanski won ACC Coach of the Year in 2016, becoming only the second Clemson coach ever to receive the honor.

The Tigers have a high-powered balanced offense that averages 2.74 goals per game, which is the 11th best in the nation. Clemson has 12 different players that have recorded a goal this season.

Clemson is led on offense by their leading goal scorer, midfielder Megan Bornkamp. Bornkamp has 30 points on the season with 10 goals and 10 assists.

The Tigers also have one of the best passers in the country in defender Renee Guion. Guion is fifth in the NCAA with 13 assists.

Neither team won their respective conference tournaments, but they also did not disappoint. Alabama lost its quarterfinal match 1-0 to No. 17 Ole Miss and Clemson lost to No. 2 Virginia in the ACC semifinal.

The match will be played in Clemson, South Carolina, where the Tigers went 7-1-1 this season. Alabama finished the regular season without a road victory.

The teams had two common foes in Texas A&M and No.1 Florida State. Both teams were handled by the Seminoles, but Alabama forced a draw against the Aggies whereas Clemson lost 3-1.

The game is set for Friday, Nov. 12 at 3 p.m. CT on the ACC Network Extra. The winner will play either No. 13 BYU or New Mexico in the Round of 32.